Cities in China’s southern provinces are bracing for Ragasa, the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year, with Shenzhen warning of “disastrous calamities” ahead and preparing to relocate hundreds of thousands of people.
The National Meteorological Centre said on Sunday that Ragasa, the 18th typhoon this year, had intensified into a super typhoon on Sunday morning and was expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to wide areas of the country’s southern and eastern regions.
It is expected to make landfall along coastal areas from Shanwei in Guangdong province to Wenchang in Hainan sometime on Wednesday, according to the centre.
From Tuesday to Thursday, heavy torrential rain is expected in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, with some areas likely to receive up to 280mm (11 inches) of precipitation, it said.
In some areas, wind speed is expected to reach around 200km/h (123mph) according to predictions by Weather China. According to the Hong Kong Observatory storm tracker, wind speeds could reach 220km/h on Tuesday as Ragasa approaches Hong Kong.
Guangdong, which was hit by Typhoon Mitag over the weekend, has issued a series of warnings and advised preventive measures to cope with the strong winds and heavy rain.